Popular gate latches for mesh fences will often use a pivotable oar, fork or U-shaped latches to lock and unlock a swinging gate which is used to open and close an opening in a mesh fence. One side of the gate is usually hingedly attached to a fixed support post. The free swinging edge post of the gate will swing into and out of the pivotable gate latch. See for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,666,660 to Yougworth; 4,691,541 to McQuade Sr.; and 5,593,141 to Cain et al. A problem with these popular gate latches are their narrow and often sharp metal tips which become protruding hazards when the gates are left open.
When the gate is open, the metal tips of the oar, fork or U-shape latch is generally facing sideways in a horizontal direction where the prong arms of the latch are parallel to the ground. Even if the outer tips are rounded, in these horizontal positions, injury can easily occur to someone walking into the gate latch. The problem is further compounded on playgrounds and school yards where running children can go front first and/or back first into these protruding hazards causing skin lacerations and punctures. Small children also have the danger of these protruding hazards being at face and eye level that can further cause serious harm.
Various attempts have been tried over the years to fix the problem. For example, wrapping electrical type tape around the latches is only a temporary fix, since the tape would unwrap over time, and the tape would be an attractive nuisance for children who would want to pull the tape loose. Sticking an old tennis ball on the latch is also only a temporary fix, since the ball would easily fall off or be easily pulled off.
The inventor is not aware of any products and solutions to protect children and/or adults from being injured by the protruding hazards of these oar, fork and U-shape gate latches that are left in their horizontal and unlocked positions. Thus, the need exists for solutions to the above problems with the prior art.